No More Anime
by The Swordslinger
Summary: What happens when life just loves to kick you down? You fight back, you try to become better, you do your best to earn something out of life and enjoy it for however short the experience might be. That, and someone needs to pay the bills by facing people from other franchises that made it to anime. Warning: Pilot!Naruto x Shinobu and harem.
1. Chapter 1

I OWN NOTHING

It seems I am still allowed to make stories and do them for my own fun. In case this one isn't to your liking or you want to judge it by its cover, then don't make an ass of yourself and leave kindly, please.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Have you guys read the pilot manga chapter of Naruto in which his father was a fearsome demon fox? No? Then you can see a lot of missed potential there, potential I'll use for this fic.

**XXXXXX**

Just a punk

_Last time I checked, I was born from a demon fox. I know, I know, it sounds like bullshit. Who cares? Not me. I've spent a good chunk of my life being a pariah because people hate me, they hate the story I have, the story that made me who I am. Never let it bother me. Not once, not even a tear, a scream, or anything but empty laughs, pranks to get back at the grudges and sneers._

_It feels like shit, but it's the story I was given. And you, keep scrolling down, you son of a bitch, because I'm the biggest, most stubborn bastard there ever was. See, when things change, you got little or too many choices. My life was changed when an old man by the name of Sarutobi told me to experience the human world, I found myself in this city, leaving in a small house on the roof of some old building._

_Name's Naruto Uzumaki, and as far as I know, there's only one rule to face when you're born: Life is a bitch… So you may as well make it your bitch. As a kid I wanted others' admiration. I still want to be respected, so I may as well keep going to stay alive after everything that's happened._

_It all happened because I met her… Yes, this starts with a girl, shut up. Most cliché stories start with some beauty… And to call her a beauty, yes, she was that, she had the curves and the edge to die for, along the curves and edge of her sword._

_Hey, you're still listening to me rambling… Fine, guess I may as well start this show. It's not a pretty start, but it'll do for what comes next._

XXXXXX

Life in a red light district of entertainment was not very glamorous. Even so, someone found a home. One top of an apartment building was a small home, with the other edge of the roof having large AC machines. The outside of the home showed it was small, about the size of a banker's office, with three gas containers on the side to cook and heat the water, and a wooden door. The inside had green tatami mats, a mini-fridge, a small tub of the bare minimum size for someone to sit on it with their knees on their chest, large pillars made of empty ramen bowls on the corners, and a futon for a good night of sleep.

A figure exited the place, the sunlight showing him to be a seventeen year old of average height with a school uniform. It was a red school jacket with a black button-up shirt underneath, with matching red baggy pants, white sneakers, and a brown belt. On his forehead was a pair of pitch black round goggles locked in place with an elastic band, already having done their job to protect his eyes from the wind. His eyes were a deep cerulean, and his face carried six birthmarks, three on each cheek, that resembled whiskers. What was most impressive was his golden hair; it was pulled back in a series of spikes that resembled a fox's mane.

This was Naruto Uzumaki, the son of the fearsome nine-tailed fox Kurama, whose shinobi caretakers sent to the human world to learn more than holding grudges or the experience of being a pariah. He walked to the railing of the roof, jumped on it with a single leap, and sat on it with amazing dexterity by softening the landing with his hands and then resting on the rail to watch over the city. A red light district meant a lot of trouble lurked around every corner, that people lost money easily, and that one had to be strong to live there and even stronger to survive.

The kid just stared at the place, the businesses, a few fine looking ladies, and yawned boringly, "Man, this place is such a snore. No wonder old fart Sarutobi kicked me here… It's been… what? Five years? Geesh, that living relic could chill… and let me back, I've gotten stronger and learned how to kick ass... speaking of which."

Down below he could make out some men in expensive and colorful suits following a little schoolgirl. No doubt were they yakuza, mobsters that had fallen from their traditional and honorable starts of honorable men to just thugs with too much power, money and pride for their own sake.

Thus, seeing the girl, in a fine sailor uniform may he add, running away from some overly colorful thugs did seem like fun. The blond grinned, "May as well have some fun…" The girl had found herself in a dead-end, her route blocked by a high concrete wall. So she turned to the mobsters with tears in her eyes, and fear in her heart as she clutched her school suitcase to her chest.

And just like that, a random red clad blond fell from the skies, with his goggles on his face, and landed with each foot on a yakuza's head. One of the other thugs gasped at the sight of the kid, recognizing his shit eating grin, his whisker birthmarks, and the blond hair. Naruto just remained with his foot on top of the two yakuza's heads, cockily smirking at the other men as his soles dug into the skin of the back of the mobsters' head. He was also squatting over the downed mobsters like some banchou chilling at his favorite spot.

"You bastards shouldn't molest a girl in my turf." He then turned to the girl with a grin, which faded when noticing that said girl had yet to reach puberty, "You sick fucks…" he said, turning his head to them with a deadpan look, "If a girl's playing hard to get…" and in a split second he was before another yakuza, his right foot printed on the thug's face, "…go to a strip club…" he dashed at another yakuza, ducked under a poor punch, and landed an upper-cut right in the man's chin, "…or even a hostess club…" one thug pulled out a gun, but Naruto had already closed the distance, swatted the gun aside, and punched the mobster in the stomach with such force that the man had to swallow hard to not puke before passing out.

The girl, who still had trouble believing what she saw, gasped out a barely audible, "Thank you…"

In the end, the boy put a hand to his forehead before letting out a tired sigh, "You need to find a different route from school that doesn't involve this place, ok?" he walked to a groaning and still conscious yakuza and stomped his head two times for good measure so he stopped his being conscious, "Fun as it is to ruin these guys' day, I don't really like humans."

The girl gaped, "What do you…"

And just like that, the red clad boy was gone with a single leap, landing on a roof before jumping to another over the lights, colorful signs, and delightful guilty pleasures that made the place he lived in. In a few minutes he had covered several miles and landed on top of a building which first floor had a lovely ramen shop. Drool started to pour from the corners of his mouth at the smell, and with another leap he landed in an alley near the shop for a quick walk.

The owner, an old man by the name of Ichiraku, waved at him, "Ah, Naruto. Here for the usual, I guess."

The kid nodded and wiped the drool off his mouth with a hand, "I'm hungry, old man, so hit me with your best."

The cook smiled and crossed his arms warmly, "Then I assume you can pay for today's meal." He said with his smile still there, and continued, "And the ones from the past three weeks."

Naruto casually tossed a couple of wallets into the counter before sitting on a stool, making Ichiraku arch a brow, "You…"

The blond grinned hungrily, almost like an animal seeing a nice delicious prey defenseless before him, "It was yakuza, and they were chasing a girl. Losing their money is their punishment, and eating is my reward."

Ichiraku kept his smile and counted the bills, "Well, you are still short, but I guess you can have a bowl."

That killed the kid's smile, "Hey, you got to be shitting me. Those guys dressed in very fancy suits, they should be loaded."

The old man chuckled, "They got plenty of money, yes, but what you eat is more than anything these guys could've made in months." He stared at the wallets and grinned, "But I could pawn these wallets to get rid of some of your debt. It may not be much, but it should do for a while."

Naruto groaned, showing a very displeased face, "You're sucking me dry, old man. What happened to greeting costumers with a smile?"

"Oh, this is my smile for costumers like you." he said with his warm smile still in place, "You haven't earned my real smile by not paying for all your food and never leaving a good tip."

"Stingy old fart…" Naruto mumbled.

"Oh, so I guess you don't want this miso ramen bowl?"

"Wait! Have a heart, you old bastard! I'm starving!"

"Fine, but only because you do pay what you owe… Speaking of paying what you owe, if you steal from about a thousand more of these guys, you may be set for a month." Ichiraku said with his friendly smile.

Naruto stared at him with a deadpan, "You're more of a monster than I could ever be…" he took his bowl, blew on the noodles to cool them off, and enjoyed the wonderful salty taste.

"Oh, and you got a present." Ichiraku said out of the blue and pulled out a small box wrapped in orange paper and with a red bow.

Naruto stared at it blankly, "Why… or how did you get my mail?"

Ichiraku deadpanned, "I'm the only one who keeps contact with you, kid. The only one kind enough to feed you." Naruto would've used the term crooked instead of kind but he didn't dare risk his bowl of ramen, "So every time this Sarutobi sends you something, it goes through me. He's the one who's been paying for some of your bills, and says you need to pay the rest."

"Old fart does care?" Naruto asked curiously before unwrapping the package to reveal… "What is this?" he pulled out the object. It was a katana's handle without the guard. It was pitch black, rectangular, and had a slit in which the blade should be… "Is this some joke?"

Ichiraku slapped a paper on the kid's face, making him grumble, "Read first, Naruto."

The boy grumbled, crumpled the paper in his hand, then straightened it and read it, "It says… _Dear Naruto, I've heard of some of your adventures. I've been paying Ichiraku-san for your meals, as well as the maintenance of that moped of yours._" Naruto thought of said moped, it was a small, emphasis on small, two-wheeled vehicle with an orange paintjob and a fine seat. In all his five years riding that thing, which had been a perfect fit for his twelve year old and now had become rather small for him, that moped still ran like its first day. "_However, it seems you haven't moved forward in these past five years. You barely have a job, slack off all day long, and beat up punks for their money. So, in order to see you become a better person than your father was, I will do something extremely stupid – and yes, I've admitted this is stupid – and give you the weapon that helped take your father down, and a week to get your life together…_"

Naruto ripped off the paper, "Too many words…" he threw the shredded pieces of paper behind his back, letting the wind take them before staring at Ichiraku, "What am I going to do? Sarutobi gave me this." He raised the sword handle, "And expects me to go on some journey to find myself or something…" he rested his chin on the counter, sighing, "Why's he got to compare me to my old fart? I'm already better than him."

Ichiraku put a second bowl on Naruto's face and gave him a warmer smile, "This one's on the house, for once."

Naruto gave the man half a grin and dug in, "Thanks…"

After that, the kid walked back home, one hand in his pants pocket, and the other staring at the handle given to him. A weapon that took down his father, a fearsome demon that forced Sarutobi to get rid of such a beast, and not only that but Sarutobi entrusted it to him. It did smell like a trap, it could be a horrible trap, and yet the weight of some supposedly demon slaying weapon in the hands of someone born with the blood of such a beast meant there was either some cruel irony here, or that the old fart really trusted in him.

Whatever the case, he didn't know whether to feel stupid or angry for tearing up the letter. It was part of his very self; he didn't like listening to others' opinions. Humans killed his father because the demonic fox was a force to be feared, Sarutobi took pity on him and raised him as one of his own, and he had to deal with the stupidity of those who saw him and could only see his father's mistakes.

He twirled the so-called weapon in his fingers and pocketed it with a sigh, "I may as well start something and get paid." And just as he said that, he arrived to his home… with an eviction notice at the door, "Oh please, someone tell me this is a joke." He half-growled and half-sighed.

It was a three day eviction note saying, plain and simple, that if he didn't pay his rent… which was a lot of money, then he'd get kicked rightfully kicked out. Not like anyone could do that, but Naruto wasn't willing to be seen as some punk.

Fine, if they wanted the money, he'd get it for them, one way or another…

XXXXXX

Minutes later, at a pawn shop…

"What do you mean it isn't worth jack?!"

"It's what I told you, kid! This is a handle only, at best I'd pay you enough for a pizza slice, and that's it."

Naruto growled as he looked at the handle on the crystal counter, pocketed it back in his coat, and sighed, "Well, it's everything I have of value… Can't you give me more?"

"This is some empty piece of trash; all I could give you is-"

"I'll pay you for it." a feminine voice said from one said, the owner of said voice had been looking at some swords on display, and then turned to Naruto.

This girl had a dark toned skin that granted her a very exotic look, with a big white afro of clean wavy hair carrying a curtain that covered her right eye. She adorned her rather large hairdo with a purple flower hairpin, and her lips with white lipstick. She was dressed in a school uniform: a white short-sleeved blouse, a matching skirt and tie, black ankle-high boots with high heels, black stockings with matching fingerless elbow-length gloves, and a black scarf that flowed behind her with both ends giving her the look of someone cosplaying a shinobi. To complete the strange shinobi-like look, she even had a traditional samurai sword with five little figurines of the anime Pure White Lover Bizarre Jelly 5 strung at the top of its sheath.

Also, she was hot as love. By possessing breasts that weren't necessarily too big but nowhere near being called small, and a round, plump toned behind hidden by that short skirt that showed off her long, slender, and shapely toned legs, he didn't waste much time to walk to her with a grin. Her face was rather adorable, set in a stoic expression yet having a soft and perhaps once innocent look to it. How could he deny that?

"How much?" he asked casually, taking the handle from the shop owner and extending it to her.

She closed her eyes and spoke in a soft monotone, "I can't pay for it here, but follow me."

He pocketed the handle in his jacket and followed her without a word. She gave him a good view of her back, and allowed him to see the mastered grip on her sword. They walked all the way to a parking lot, to its empty top floor which had no ceiling, just a clear view of the sky with some clouds and a decent view of the district.

He finally chuckled, "So, what's your game?"

The girl turned to him, "Do you know my name?"

He put his hand on his chin, "I wish I could say I've seen your face before, but no."

She closed her eyes, and slowly drew her sword, "And yet you followed me here when I had my back turned to you all the way, not even daring to strike me."

Naruto sighed, "If you want something, spit it out. Because I have no time to waste on someone like you that shows off so much bloodlust right off the bat." he pulled out the handle of the sword, growling at it, "I'm a bit desperate for money right now, so-"

"You bastard!" She shouted, which threw Naruto off. The girl's face had twisted into one of anger, "You dare say money is so important to you, after killing my father?!"

"What?" Naruto asked, narrowing his eyes at the girl, "Is this your idea of some joke?"

She held her sword in a two-handed stance, "That's my line…" she spread her legs a bit, "I am Shinobu Jacobs, you killed my father, prepare to die."

Our hero barely had time to grunt out a curse when the girl dashed at him and nearly cut his head off with a speed, dexterity and incredible technique that amazed him. But what amazed him was that her sword wasn't for show, for with that single move her blade cut the air, and the steel railing behind him. The demon born blond rolled to the side, avoiding her strike, and landing on his knees to jump away from her next attack. Shinobu gritted her teeth and jumped at him, raising her sword over her white haired head, and swung it down.

This time, it was Naruto's turn to amaze her by grabbing her wrists with his left hand, swiftly locking her arms underneath his armpit, and grabbed her left leg with his right arm, also locking it underneath his armpit. What Shinobu knew next was that Naruto was strong, he was fast, and he had jumped with her like she weighted nothing, spun midair so her back faced the ground, and slammed her down.

The blond flipped back to his feet and took a lazy stance with both hands up in loose fists, "Ok, calm down, what do you even want?! Do you know who I am?!"

Shinobu didn't reply, instead she kicked at him, sweeping the blond off his feet to force him to the ground. He groaned, and found himself he'd have found pleasant in any other situation. Shinobu had jumped on top of him, straddled his chest – while giving him a nice view of her white panties covered in kitty paw prints – and raised her sword for a stab right to his heart.

It was almost like he lost a heartbeat when everything happened so fast… Naruto's instincts kicked in, and soon he was holding up the handle Sarutobi gave him. Shinobu's eyes widened when a blade erupted from the black handle. And it was no normal blade. A crimson burst of energy came out of the slit, still ethereal yet taking a form that became solid enough to stop the tip of her blade with the dull side of this new energy blade. The strange weapon in Naruto's hand was a katana, its red energy blade was single-edged, and curved in the way a normal katana would. The blade was also quite large, about the same length as an O-katana.

He felt like he lost a heartbeat, and reacted as fast as he could. In one single motion, the blond kicked the afro girl off his chest, forcing both to flip back to their feet with Shinobu taking a hunched stance as she held her sword singlehandedly and glared daggers into Naruto. The blond for his part took a more standard sword stance by holding his new two-handed ethereal sword with both hands and spreading his legs like a samurai. Of course, he had to take a deep breath to take what was happening in.

"Okay…" Naruto said, staring at the blade as a grin quickly made its way to his mouth, splitting his face in two, "Let's dance!"

The two raced at each other and clashed swords. Shinobu gritted her teeth while Naruto gave her a sneer. Sparks flew from both blades, creating heat and light as they tried to push each other back. Sadly for Shinobu, she didn't have the blood of a demon in her and was quickly pushed back. All the while Naruto's sneer changed into a grin and he started to cheer – with a loud "Yeah!" - before surprising her with a kick to her stomach that sent her stumbling back.

Naruto twirled his new sword in one hand. This time he raised the sword over his head, like it was a baseball bat. Shinobu ducked under the blow and was surprised that not only was it fast, but it looked quite heavy too, perhaps powerful enough to send her flying back or, with the necessary force, cut her in half.

This was time to get serious, she knew. Naruto and her skidded away from each other and turned to face themselves for another clash, but this time Naruto was puzzled when the girl sheathed her sword. That confusion was short-lived when he could sense and even see the large amount of energy she was drawing to her blade.

With a cry of, "Sonic Sword!" like out of some anime, Naruto watched a red ethereal blade fly from the edge of Shinobu's sword, right at him. The blond replied by cart-wheeling away with one hand and took his stance to find the girl… gone, "Are you fucking with me?" he heard her voice ask from nowhere and everywhere in the empty top floor.

He replied, nonetheless, "It's hard to take you seriously when you want to kill me out of the blue for reasons I know shit about. Besides…" he turned around and parried her next strike, then the next which came as a stab that he swatted away, and finally a kick that caught him slightly off guard due to another panty shot. He swung up his leg to clash with hers and both stumbled back, with the demon born growling, "If you want to kill me, just know that I'm a lot worse than what you're seeing right now."

She glared harder at him, "Let us see…"

He held up his sword, "Shall we?" and just as he asked that, he noticed that the blade was… shrinking? "Wait, what?!"

Shinobu giggled, "What's that, a toy?"

Naruto growled and shook the blade, as if it was a remote control… and it worked, the blade grew back… but just one bit. What Shinobu saw next made a red hue come to her dark cheeks as Naruto pumped his arm up and down to somehow charge the ethereal blade. He even grabbed the handle with both hands and pumped it up and down harder and faster.

Once the blade was back to full mast, and Shinobu's remaining patience exited her head along her sense of dignity after such a sight, the two raced forward for another clash. He glared right at her, "We could've talked this out, but you know what? I really want to beat the tar out of you, Shinobu!"

She glared harder as their swords bounced from the force of their strike and then returned to meet again, "Fine by me, it won't be much fun to make you pay for my father's death if you don't fight back, unlike how you killed him in cold blood!" their blades met again and again, clashing on near equal levels. Where Shinobu was skilled and refined, Naruto was brutal and more instinct driven, and yet managed to keep up with her with a ridiculous amount of stamina and physical attributes from his demonic blood, but the girl still managed to be incredibly fast and quite dangerous at a close distance.

As they fought, their blades clashing over and over, their feet moving them around each other's strikes in a deadly dance for superiority, and their eyes locked more and more, Naruto's mind flew:

'_I'm no saint; I'm just a bastard son of some other bigger bastard. All I have is the hatred people aim at me for their stupid views. And yet this one fight… This feeling of fighting someone equal… No, perhaps even better than me… Why is it so damn good? Fuck, no spar could match this… No fight with stupid thugs on the streets rivals this kind of shit… Am I insane for enjoying this, or is this too good for me?_'

Shinobu's glare intensified on the final clash, and this time she put it her all to push back the blond who was now grinning. "Don't think you'll enjoy this much longer!"

He cackled, "I'm not even getting started!"

And, just like before, Shinobu was pushed back. However, in the middle of her fighting against someone who didn't have her anger, she didn't notice the railing behind her. The afro haired girl bounced off with a pained gasp, just as Naruto readied his sword for a powerful stab. She closed her eyes as she saw the red ethereal blade coming her way… and heard a crash.

One second later, and she was greeted by a lariat that sent her entire body flipping in the air before she landed hard on the ground, hurting her spine yet fortunately without breaking it. With half-lidded eyes, she stared at Naruto as the crimson energy from his sword disappeared so he could pocket the handle in his jacket.

She groaned, "What're you doing?!" she cried, and looked at her sword, laying by her side… the blade broken in a million pieces.

The look she gave to Naruto made the blond narrow his eyes. She had her eyes shut tightly, her lip was quivering, and she didn't look either angry or sad… It was pain. It was a feeling of despair, of true defeat, of a horrible fate that, dare he admit it, he had been experiencing ever since he was brought to live with Sarutobi and those biased pricks that didn't like him because of his father.

"I should ask that." He replied and, for good measure, stomped on her right arm to keep her from moving, getting a sharp gasp from the girl, "Who the fuck do you think I am?" he asked, squatting to stare at the girl right in the eye.

She glared harder at him, "As if you'd need to ask… You're my father's murderer… So… Kill me!"

"What?!" That was something he didn't expect.

She cried again, "Finish me! Kill me! You already dishonored me by breaking my sword and defeating me… Just do it!"

Naruto punched, he didn't hesitate, his fist flew at the girl so hard and fast that the wind blew the curtain covering her right eye, and allowed her to see fully well that his fist sunk into the hard concrete near her head, "Don't boss me around!" he shouted, pulling back his feet, cracking the knuckles with his grip, which got rid of the dust in them, "I didn't kill your father, I never even met him in person… But I've heard of him. Jacobs, he was a pretty damn good swordsman. I used to sneak peeks into other houses to watch his show as a kid." He grabbed her tie and pulled her so their faces were inches apart, their noses nearly touching, "I like the idea of fighting and getting better, so if you want to fight me again, then get stronger. After that, I don't care what you do with your life, but if you're going to waste it hating me for something I didn't do, then you should be the one to stop fucking around!"

He let her go, stood up, and walked off with his hands in his pants pockets and a sneer in his face. "You… who are you?"

Part of him wanted to punch something, another wanted to punch someone, but a great part of him felt good… "Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto…" he looked at the sky as the clouds passed by, "That was a fun fight…"

"Indeedly so."

Naruto turned around, finding a strange elder man standing before him, "Who're you, Gramps?"

"Ah, another youth without restrain… But perhaps that will make you the most fun out of the bunch." The man said as he walked forward.

The man had to be in his seventies, probably mid-seventies. He was a tall, thin man clad in grey slacks, a white dress shirt with a purple tie, and a purple vest. He also carried gloves with some gentlemanly charm, and kept his dark, near-blue hair in a ponytail. His eyes were grey, and he had a monocle over his left eye.

Naruto felt tempted to reach for his handle, but the man gave him a disarming smile, "What you mean out of the bunch?"

The man bowed, "First, allow me the permission for a late introduction. I am Walter C. Dornez. I am a butler of the Hellsing House, so I clean up their messes, take out the trash, and take care of any and nearly all shady regulations that may need my presence in case of my mistress' busy schedule getting in her way."

Naruto blinked, but returned the bow, if a bit awkwardly, "And I'm Uzumaki Naruto." He straightened up, not once letting his eyes off the man, "So, what're you here for, Walter?"

The man grinned widely, "I had heard of a certain demon born child, supposedly raised by humans, living in this district. My mistress asked me to watch over you, and lo and behold, I find you defeating Miss Jacobs, an… associate of ours, if one dares say so himself." He stared at Naruto, who showed a lot of patience for someone like him to listen to the old man's words, "And thus, I was wondering, if you'd like to take her place… and perhaps fight the other ten assassins ranked above her?"

Naruto stared at Walter, and held back a groan, "Listen, I-"

"Of course, we will pay you for your victory over the young lady…"

A cash register bell went off in Naruto's head, "I'm in!"

**XXXXXX**

**And that's my rap!**

**Hope you enjoyed the prologue of this fic. I know it's a bit short, but it sets things for the future.**

**And yes, this is Pilot!Naruto, as in the first original idea for the blond before the 700 chapter mess Kishimoto came up with.**

**Back in the day, Naruto was a demon fox that was a jerk, yet a loveable jerk, sorta like Travis Touchdown but a bit less cruel.**

**So, with that idea in mind, this fic came out. I hope you enjoy it.**

**As for the pairings, everyone's favorite afro haired shinobi girl is in, ready to do anything or her new master… anything.**

**And sorry I made her Rank 11, but considering the guys that will come next, you may forgive me.**

**I've already mentioned six of the ten assassins Naruto will have to face in order to become number one, the rest are for me to know and for you to find out.**

**But next chapter… well, you shall wait and see.**

**Swordslinger out!**


	2. Chapter 2

I OWN NOTHING

Don't let anyone fool you, dear readers, I am, without a shadow of a doubt, one hundred percent a very strange guy.

**XXXXXX**

Rank 10 – Geese Howard Part 1  
><span>

"Sir!"

On the top floor of a large office building, a lone man sighed as he set down a large glass with some expensive cognac and crystal clear ice on his large desk. The man was blond, with his hair slicked back, had narrowed eyes and was of a mixed nationality. He had some European traits, and wore an expensive business suit that had much more monetary value than a normal man's entire life savings, even his gold wristwatch cost way more than a regular man could ever hope to. He was also towering, muscular, and had a face that said it was best not to cross his path on a bad day.

Truly, the man emanated high class and power from every pore in his body, even if he was already starting his forties. His office was the size of a small house, it had a rich red velvet carpet, a desk the size of a queen sized bed, and a bar nearby with drinks of the best quality and highest of prices. And yet before this man someone came to him with a serious expression.

This second man was also dressed in a three piece suit, albeit a cheaper one. He had no tie, and kept his own blond hair in a red and white striped bandana, "What is it, Billy?" the man on the desk asked, putting down his drink as the bandana wearing man pulled out a paper and left it on the desk before bowing to him.

The boss of the building stared at the paper, "There's a new eleventh assassin, and he wants to challenge you, sir." The bandana man, Billy, replied with a slight British accent.

The drinking man's eyes lit up with a smirk at the picture of one Naruto Uzumaki flipping the bird at the camera with a cocky smirk, "Another fool coming to challenge me?" He chuckled darkly, "Fine, I guess I have time to kill before taking on the other nine… Who knows? Maybe this one won't be as foolish as that arrogant little girl Shinobu and accept to work for us. After all, a little discipline doesn't hurt a child."

He grabbed and then threw the picture in the air. In an instant, Billy pulled out three red rods from his coat, putting them together into a staff. In less than a second he had stabbed the picture, turning it into shreds. "Maybe I should take care of him, sir. Little punk seems to be an arrogant one by what I've heard."

The boss narrowed his eyes, "Is he coming for my head?" Billy nodded, and the tenth ranked assassin shut his eyelids, "Hmm… Truly a pity, the most foolish ones grow too arrogant to see their limitations." He stood up from his seat, "How long until he arrives here?"

"Give or take a day or two, but the guards here at Howard Tower won't make it easy for the kid."

The elder man scoffed, "If this kid defeated that little Jacobs girl, then he's nothing to sneeze at, and neither are those who I have yet to surpass."

The British man bowed politely, "Then what should we do?"

The older blond was about to speak, when a loud crash interrupted him. A man with a ragged suit and a shotgun in his hands stormed the office, aiming the barrel at the slick haired man, "Geese… GEESE HOWARD!"

The man at the desk rested his cheek on his knuckles and stared at this newcomer, "Yes, can I help you?" he asked, like it was just a random businessman entering his office for a deal, not a man with a gun.

"Don't you remember me?!" the gunman asked, furious.

Geese stared at him for a few seconds, "No, I don't."

The man pumped the shotgun, "You killed my father, you bastard!"

Geese gave the man a deadpan look, "Do you know how little that narrows it down?" The man raised the gun at Geese, but before he could pull the trigger Geese raised his own hand. What the gun wielding avenger saw was a white fire come from the well-suited man's hand, followed by a single word: "Reppuken."

Billy saw the attacker fly back with a blast of pure energy, his body broken, cuts all over the avenger's suit and skin, and no answer of the man getting up after landing hard on his back.

The bandana man sighed, "I'll call the cleaning crew." He hefted his staff on his shoulder and walked off, "So, about number eleven… Should I take care of him already?"

Geese knitted his hands together and leaned back on his expensive chair, resting his feet on the desk to show his clean and expensive two thousand dollar shoes, "It's been a while since someone decided to challenge me for one of these matches… I think I have some free time after those drinks I promised the commissioner." He then snapped his fingers, "Oh, but make sure to give him something nice for the effort. To show good intentions and perhaps convince him to join us, if he doesn't die an idiot's death."

Billy sighed, "You sure? This may be the first time I question your sanity… This kid doesn't seem like a good option to have working for us."

"So was Raiden, and he at least does his job well for the right price." Geese then chuckled, "Besides, sooner or later the kid will have to learn that there will be people stronger than him. He can't make it to the top without sacrifices; otherwise he wouldn't earn his right to be in this world."

XXXXXX

"So, there's an association for assassins that are paid good money to kill people?"

"As absurd as it may sound, it's one way to pay for the best in dire need of those willing to take care of the worst."

Walter had been explaining to Naruto the basics of the UAA, an organization that housed killers from around the world to fight between themselves and kill people in order to get paid and prove who the best was. To know he was now basically going to get hired to kill someone did bother Naruto, but all things considered that wasn't far off from what he learned as a ninja: having to take out the threats. Hell, his father had been killed because he was an irredeemable bastard.

However, the organization was something big. How big? Naruto knew how when stepping into a limousine with all accommodations that a mad millionaire could ask for, even a small bar from which the blond pulled out some cold soda – Walter refused to serve him alcohol since he was a minor, to which Naruto mentally cursed.

And yet, something bothered Naruto big time. And Walter could see why in the seat next to the blond. Shinobu Jacobs, high-school girl and assassin, was sitting beside the man who defeated her and that she tried to kill with an impassive look on her face. More surprisingly, she held her broken sword without anger or hatred, she just remained there, calm and almost harmless with Naruto. This was kind of the image that Naruto allowed himself to lower his guard for, and now it put him more on edge than before.

Walter simply remained in his seat, his back straight and his posture that of a trained gentleman, and observed the slouched Naruto and cross-legged Shinobu sitting side by side. Normally, someone in the whiskered kid's position would behead the girl, run away, or do his best to keep her locked up at the very least. But here she was, from time to time stealing second-long glances at the blond boy before he noticed it.

"So, who would be my next fight?" Naruto asked, "If they're strong, I'm more than willing to go, and if there's money for it then even better."

Walter allowed the corners of his mouth to lift up in a small smile, "Impatient, I see. Or rather impulsive." He commented with his monocle shining for a brief second, "You're doing good in remaining hungry, boy. Because, yes, I can assure you that the tenth ranked assassin is not only strong but also a man that should be feared." He turned to Shinobu, "I believe he approached you, milady."

She nodded, "Bastard tried to recruit me. I declined and took off. I would've fought him, but even I know my limits…" she sighed, "I am confident in my skills, and know that I am strong, but even I know when not to be over-confident against a man of that caliber." She turned to Naruto with a serious stare that quite well unnerved him, "You should be careful, Master."

And now Naruto's impersonation of a deer standing before a car's lights was perfect, "Say what?"

Upon his baffled question, Shinobu bowed her head politely, "I can recognize a strong adversary when I see him, and even though you used some of my father's techniques your style was so simple it was even terrifying." She then looked at him dead in the eye and inched closer, really close… cleavage-shot-giving close. "I'd like to… be your pupil."

He leaned back, "Whoa… Are you serious? I barely even have room for me at my place? You really think I can teach you anything? And some of the things I know can't be taught to humans."

Shinobu ignored his comment about humans, or rather just the word humans, and grabbed his hands in her, clasping them, "I won't take a no for an answer, Master."

Naruto sighed tiredly, "Ah damn it…" he shut his eyes and groaned, "I really dig the Master thing… has a nice ring to it, I'll admit."

Shinobu gave a small smile and squeezed his hand tightly, "I will not disappoint you, Master. I shall do everything you put me through and won't hesitate."

"Ahem…" the two finally turned to the ignored butler, "As I was saying… The man you want to fight is Geese Howard. He is the CEO of the Howard Company, a cover for his underground businesses and criminal empire. Geese used to be the bastard son of a powerful man, and years later he returned here and created his own little kingdom after doing so in America. He comes from South Town, a place that is his by all means, and here in Japan he's come to train himself against our best and worst, and to expand his business."

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, "Sounds like me, maybe even just as greedy."

Walter chuckled, "He's also a natural blond."

"Was that a joke?" Naruto asked, truthfully confused.

Walter shook his head, "Oh, I wouldn't joke around unless it was to someone who deserved it. However, Mr. Uzumaki, I believe this is your stop." And just on cue, the limo stopped, and the door opened to leave Naruto in front of his apartment building. "And it seems all payments have been done." A man in a black suit and shades walked out with a suitcase in hand, and when Naruto exited the limo said man entered it without missing a beat.

What Naruto also noticed was Shinobu at his side, holding her broken sword in both hands and looking intently at him, "Shall we go, Master?"

Walter's smile widened, he had his eyes closed in a pleased and serene expression, "I bid you farewell. Have a fine, fun day, Mr. Uzumaki." And the limo's door was closed and the bizarre butler was gone, leaving Naruto alone with Shinobu… Ok, now it really seemed like Walter was playing a joke on him.

He looked at the girl, his building, her sword, and back at the rooftop where his little home was… "I think we should get that fixed." Naruto said, aiming a finger at the girl's katana.

Shinobu nodded, "Of course, otherwise I wouldn't be able to learn from you." she leaned in closer and wrapped her arms around Naruto's right, "Over here, Master."

Naruto inwardly groaned, '_What'd I get myself into?_' he asked, but then noticed how firmly pressed his arm was against Shinobu's soft yet firm breasts, '_Ok, not going to lie, I like this._' However, he pulled back the now rather energetic self-proclaimed apprentice of his, and spoke up, "We can take my moped."

Shinobu nodded and it could sound crazy but Naruto swore to have seen a small smile for a brief second. The two-wheeled vehicle was in front of the building, parked with a chain around it and a special sign painted by Naruto with his face on it. Said sign had a clear warning that promised any robbery attempt would have the thief chased by a relentless demon who'd make them suffer. To this day no-one walked more than five feet after breaking the chain. Yes, he really loved the small orange moped like any man would his own vehicle.

Naruto put the sign in a trunk that was actually beneath the seat. He hopped in and turned to Shinobu, who was already behind him and wrapping her arms around his torso. He didn't pay much attention to that, mainly because of the two soft flesh pounds on his back forcing him to fight back a pleasurable shudder. He shook his head, put his goggles on, revved up his moped which let out a thunderous roar, and Shinobu let out a yelp that turned into a surprised yell when the small vehicle blasted off like a rocket.

Shinobu forced her face to Naruto's collar – taking in his salty yet manly scent of noodles combined with his own body odor – and hugged him tighter to keep the wind from blowing her face backwards. Naruto for his part didn't seem to think he was going a bit fast at all even if his moped practically flew by any bystander on the red light district, appearing and then disappearing as an orange blur. Even so, between driving she still managed to tell him where to go to.

Once they stopped before a weapon shop, the afro haired girl had to let out a breath she didn't know was held in her chest. Naruto looked at her baffled face and considered buying her a helmet with the remaining money from his fight with her, unless his debts were so astronomically large that he couldn't even afford that. He could drive without a helmet, considering he wasn't human for starters.

"What… kind of engine do you have in that thing?" the still baffled girl managed to ask once she got off the bike on admirably firm steps.

"The best stuff finding stray cats, beating up yakuza, and cheap part-time jobs can pay." Naruto said as he patted the seat, pulled out the sign to warn thieves of their nearing demise should they try their luck, and walked with the white haired beauty into the store.

They entered the place, with the crystal counters, walls and shelves stacked to the ceiling with weapons of all shapes and kinds, from fire arms to anything with a blade. Even blunt objects didn't escape the eye to take down enemies. And behind the counter was an old man with shaggy black hair, a white kimono, his right arm hidden in said kimono, and bandages around his head which also covered his right eye.

The man looked at them with his right, squinted eye and sighed, "The Root weapon shop doesn't sell a thing to window-shoppers or minors."

Naruto scoffed, "Then what about fixing weapons? Can you do that, old hawk?"

The man scoffed back, "Who are you, brat?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes, "Uzumaki Naruto."

The man stared at him through his squinted eye for a second, and then let out a small smirk, "Heh… Giving me your name without regrets… I can tell with that a real customer, not some collector or pansy trying to play yakuza." He then stared at the girl, "What'll it be, Shinobu?"

The girl stared at the man and glared, "First of all, you're meeting the man who has become my master, and secondly, I need you to repair the blade my Master broke in our fight."

Naruto turned to Shinobu, a bit dumbfounded but trying to keep his cool, "You know this man?"

The elder huffed, "You're talking to Danzo, in my prime I used to be in the association you're now in. Now, here I am, selling weapons and working for those who wish to become real assassins." He grinned at Naruto, "I can see you got the guts… but to break this blade I made out of respect for Shinobu's father… You are truly something… Disciple of Sarutobi."

"You know the old fart?!" Now Naruto was truly convinced that this guy could be a pain.

Danzo chuckled darkly, "I took the route he was too afraid to take in order to keep balance… It shall be interesting what you do in this business."

Naruto glared at the man, "Listen, you old hawk, I just want to be number one. I don't care about your love story with the old monkey. All I care about is to be at the top."

And that answer only made Danzo grin more, "Then…" he grabbed Shinobu's sword and walked to the back of the store, "You shall master the ways of the assassin. However, with Sarutobi's teachings, would you be able to do what he's afraid of?"

Naruto's answer was firm, "I'm not backing down from this challenge."

"Good enough." And with that, Danzo left.

Shinobu turned to see her ticked off master, "He is like that with everyone, Master." He turned to her, listening, "He looked only for control by any means necessary, peace if it meant to fight and shed blood. He still believes in that, in that someone strong is needed to do that. That's the reason why he works here."

"He still pisses me off." Naruto stated. He took a deep breath and spoke to his first and only apprentice, "Anyway… what should I know of this Geese guy? I know he's strong, but what else is there?"

The dusky skinned girl stood straight, glad to be of help for her master, "He's very influential and has a lot of men following his orders. If you want to get to him, just like you will have to do with many if not all other assassins, you will have to face their underlings, and whoever else is after their head." She then closed her eyes, "But since you're ranked, that means they could try to take you on to have an authority to get to him and take his rank."

Naruto nodded, "So, all I have to do is beat up every sad fucker in my way to number one… Same plan as before, then."

She smiled and nodded, "Basically, yes." She then looked at him in the eye, "However, since you're ranked eleventh, anyone who is after Howard could also be after you."

He nodded again, "Sounds like a warm-up… for getting in Hell." He gave off a smirk, "Actually, that sounds great, the more strong people to fight, the more delicious the challenge and victory will be." He shrugged, "Yeah, bring it on. I've got time to spare, and I want the road to number one to be Hell on Earth if that's what it takes to be stronger." The girl smiled at her master's drive.

In the back of the store, the weapon dealer smiled as he listened to the kid's determination, "Almost too good to be true..." he said before getting back to work.

XXXXXX

The next morning, Naruto woke up a bit groggily. Last day's events still rang through his head, he had trained Shinobu after she got her sword back in less than fifteen minutes from the old one-armed hawk, and he was now resting on his back on top of his futon in his little house.

He had a lot to take in, even if he currently was beneath the soft sheets and clad only in his red boxers. For starters, he would have to fight an assassin if he wanted to live the big life, he would be asked to kill people, and he would definitely have to watch his back for any challengers after his and anyone else's head. Then there was Shinobu. The girl wanted to be trained by him no matter what, she had forced him to take her home to teach her some of his moves – which included some of his taijutsu that she learned amazingly quickly – and she was now on top of him.

"Wha…" he groaned at the soft yet warm weight of Shinobu's body on his.

There she was, resting on top of him, sprawled all over his frame with her right cheek on his fit chest, her right hand on his shoulder, her left hand on top of his right hand, her legs wrapped around his, and a smile on her face. Her hairpin was near the futon she was supposed to sleep in, as were her clothes… all of them. A butt-naked girl rested on top of his half-nude form, the sheets pulled also over her body but mostly over his, meaning there were parts he could see. And see things he did, such as seeing that white was her natural color for the carpets matched the curtains. She was also naturally dark skinned for she possessed no tan-lines, and her underwear tightened her assets, hiding their true volume to the world.

Naruto inwardly grunted, '_Ok brain, it's just you and me… How did this happen… or better yet, what the fuck happened?_' Suddenly Shinobu's arms moved to his neck and hugged him to press their bodies closer, making his brain respond, '_It seems she dislikes clothing and moves a lot when in bed… Yeah, that sounded wrong._' He agreed with his brain, '_So, what to do…_' Shinobu stirred, '_…now?_'

Her eyes fluttered open, "Mas… Master…?" she asked sleepily.

Naruto's mind was blank, but his brain worked overtime, '_Don't say anything stupid! Don't say anything stupid!_' Naruto looked at his apprentice and spoke, "Was I good?" His brain packed up its things, '_That's it; I'm getting out of here._' The sounds of footsteps going down a stair followed by a door slammed shut were heard in his head.

However, the goddess of luck with her full smile looked at the child, and Shinobu closed her eyes to mumble into her sleep.

A quick substitution with his pillow later and Naruto saw the girl cuddle to it.

Good, now all he needed was to pretend nothing happened, wait for her to wake up and think she had just tossed her clothes off in her sleep and cuddled to his pillow after he left.

But… that didn't mean he wouldn't take time to admire the scene. He did end up envying the pillow when it went directly between Shinobu's pillows.

"Either I am extremely lucky, or some deity is laughing at me." He whispered before leaving his home to the nearest bathing house to get the heat off his body with some cold splashes.

At that moment he wanted to pretend nothing happened and do something, but he would definitely burn the memory forever in his mind. Unfortunately for the blond, the balance stablishes that for every good action and situation, something must come out to repay that. One would have the right to be surprised when several men in fancy suits and an English man with a bandana stood before him, Naruto on the other hand labeled them as weirdoes and tried to walk off.

XXXXXX

In another place, in an office that put Geese's to shame, Walter walked into the place with a smile on his face as the sun rose behind large windows about two stories tall. The entire room was massive enough to put in a house for a large family, and on a desk with very little if none personal belongings, was one individual.

Dark skin, blue eyes behind a pair of circular but thin glasses, pale blonde hair, and a scowl on a face that just with its looks said it was best to bow down if one didn't desire for something worse than death. This person wore a three piece dark suit with a red ribbon on her neck, white gloves, and a silver cross on her chest hanging from her neck. And this person was a woman, a very intimidating and even feared woman that no man would know if they should fall for her, fear her, or both. The gentle butler had a fourth option: respect her.

She had a cigar in her mouth, and in less than a second Walter had lighted it up, "So… Naruto Uzumaki… That nine-tailed bastard's son…" she said before letting out a puff of smoke.

"I am as surprised as you are, milady. However, he is not his father." Walter replied with his sweet smile before grabbing a tea set hidden in the desk to make the lady a drink, while putting some vodka in.

The woman stared at the butler calmly, to which he sighed before leaving the bottle of alcohol and a glass by her side, and some crackers, "If he's anything like that furry bastard…" she watched the vodka being poured into the glass by Walter, and saw a glint of red on it for a brief second.

In the next instant, the woman threw her right arm to her side, and pulled the trigger of the gun she was holding. The sound of a body falling – complete with the wet noise of blood and ribbons of flesh hitting the ground – rang in the massive office. The place was filled with silence, Walter just had a tired look on his face and the woman had a look like she had stepped on shit, even if she had that kind of face twenty four hours a day, seven days per week.

Laughter.

A low, deep, and melodic laughter echoed in the room, followed by the sound of something wet slithering back to the place where the body fell.

"Was it bad of my to eavesdrop the conversation?" the owner of the laugh asked, clearly amused for in the shadows that made his body a massive, face-splitting fanged grin could be seen in the dark.

The woman pinched the bridge of her nose, "You are not fighting that fox's son." She said, sensing an incoming headache no alcohol could ever help her with.

"Hoh… Interesting. I remember you had to use THAT same power back when we became acquaintances… Or rather, your father had to." The dark man said, chuckling, "After all, to defeat monsters, what better way than to use monsters as soldiers? Who better to live from carnage?" Red eyes shone in the shadows above the grin, "After all, monsters like that old demon and I know what it's like to grow old enough to see others gain a right to take the throne, and it won't change the chance for a good encounter. But now that he is dead and his son is still alive… What can we say about his life if he keeps going up the ranks of this show?"

The woman clenched her glass of vodka so tightly that it cracked, "We will cross that bridge when we get there. For now, he has every right to despise humans; just as he has every right to despise his father for what he would have done with him had he not been killed." She turned to the dark man and shot him a cold stare that did nothing to stop his grinning but told him the seriousness of her next statement, "And I believe… Number One would like to have a chance to meet him."

The dark man chuckled and, just as randomly, clapped, "It's like a promise to a good show. I can hardly wait. I can almost taste the blood in the air."

The woman glared at him, "That's why I don't want you near any of the kid's battles for the time being. If anything, you'd make things worse from what Walter told me."

The butler smiled kindly at the dark man, "You can't deny the truth in those words, my old friend."

The dark man let out a chuckle, "Yes, you'd be right… I'd lose myself in the bloodshed."

The woman glued her eyes to him, "That's why we're sending the police girl to look after him."

"…what…?" the dark man asked, before showing his fanged grin, "You're sending someone attached to their emotions for this? Should I be amused or confused?"

Walter casually adjusted his gloves, "I met the lad. Impatient doesn't begin to describe him. Yet, I can see something akin to a heart in him. He may be the son of a true demon, but it's hard to tell what people may grow into… After all, as a child I used to lack manners, and now here I am, serving drinks." He said while pouring another glass for the lady. "I shall also watch over him in the daytime, in case you're curious."

The dark man turned around, reading along the lines to know he wasn't wanted in this, "I'll be sleeping. I'd enjoy waking up to kill something."

The woman felt the corners of her mouth tickle in the barest hint of a smile, "I can't believe he'd sulk over this. Then again, he never got to kill the kid's father."

Walter smiled, "Had I been younger… Oh well, what can you do?"

The woman wouldn't say it, but she was looking forward to the kid's next fight.

However, something deep down inside her knew that this kitsune would give her headaches.

XXXXXX

"Mmm… I had such a good dream…"

Shinobu woke up, stretching herself, popping her joints as she stretched her arms and let her skin breathe in the small house. She looked around to find her new master gone, a pillow where her arms had been, and her body completely nude.

A blush made its way to the dusky skinned sword wielding girl's face, along a thousand thoughts, '_Oh no! Did I do something… to Master?_' the blush on her face got a lot brighter and a whole lot redder. It was best for the weak of heart and mind to not attempt to picture what she was thinking of when picturing herself doing something to the blond.

So she quickly put on her clothes, exited the small house, and found men in suits getting out of a van on the streets while a man in a bandana stood behind them, "Well, what do we have here?" Billy asked with a grin as he looked up at her, "Didn't think that Uzumaki boy would have such a cute thing around."

Shinobu stared at the English man, currently out of his suit and wearing only overalls and a pair of boots. The blue fabric having no shirt underneath, thus showing Billy did train a lot just from his muscular build, but he had one more piece of evidence about his strength: a tripe jointed pole, currently in its staff form.

She didn't waste any time jumping down to meet him, acting as if the fall was nothing, "I'll take the compliment, along with your head if the next thing that comes out of your mouth isn't to my liking." She was glad that the blacksmith had been so quick to repair her blade when she pulled it out, "You're one of rank ten's men, aren't you?"

He nodded, "And you're Uzumaki's latest trophy."

Shinobu grinned, "Better than being Howard's pet."

Billy looked at the gangsters, and tilted his head to the side, the universal sign to tell someone to get the hell out of dodge, "You got a pretty little mouth, missy… I'm going to enjoy having you cry to that punk."

Shinobu got into a two-handed stance and gave Billy a determined stare, "Enough talk…" she gripped the sword tighter, "Let's dance!"

The two were about to rush at each other, until the screech of a moped stopped them and a recently bathed Naruto parked his small vehicle, "Who're you?" he asked, ready to pull out his chakra sword.

"Hello there, Mr. Eleven." Billy said casually.

Naruto glared at him, seeing Shinobu in her stance told him enough, "If you want to fight, set a time and place." He turned to the girl, "I am your master, aren't I? I should deal with this." He said as he pulled up his goggles to his forehead and walked towards Billy while Shinobu sheathed her sword, albeit reluctantly.

Billy grinned, "Don't worry; I am here on behalf of my boss, Geese Howard. The little lady wanted a match, and I was willing to play with her."

Naruto tensed at the name, "I thought I was the one supposed to fight him. Not have you guys trying to mess with me."

Billy shook his head, "I have a proposition, boy." He snapped his fingers and one of the men in suits came forward, carrying a large briefcase, "You see, our boss is a generous, if misunderstood man who could use someone as strong as you for your skills. That is, if you think this is enough for your services." The man with the suitcase opened it, revealing more money than Naruto could ever imagine, all recently printed pieces of cash, "If it's not, we would be happy to hear your price while you can keep this as a token of our good will."

The man with the briefcase handed the blond the money, and Naruto took it before looking at Billy's hands stretched for him, "Then, let me ask you something…" Naruto started.

Billy grinned wider, "Sure, go ahead."

And Naruto extended his hand, shocking Shinobu, towards Billy's… face. The other men in suits and the older blond gasped in shock, though the English man did so more with pain, "Do I look like a bitch?" Naruto asked, clenching his fist so tightly that his knuckles cracked while Billy remained on the floor, nursing a sore jaw.

Billy spat into his hand, a tooth in his palm, and stood up to glare at the blond, "Are you insane?!"

Naruto let go of the briefcase and kicked it up, letting the money fly in the air into the hands of the now excited bystanders, "I don't care about money… Sure, I want to be stinking rich and have the world kneeling before me, who wouldn't?" the blond kitsune started with a shit eating grin, "However… This is my life, and I won't be bossed around by anyone! All I want is to be strong and have people know that I am strong!" he stepped forward, scaring the other men in suits with his furious glare, "If that's hard for you to understand, here's the short version: I want to fight your boss!" the kid shouted, his fist aimed at the English man, "Tell him to bring everything he has! I will go to whatever place he's hiding and punch his face in!"

Billy couldn't help it, he chuckled, "Your funeral, brat… Let's go!" he said and he and the men in suits left.

Naruto sighed as they drove off in a large van, "This means trouble…" he grabbed his neck and cracked a few joints, "But they're just gangsters. This Geese guy is the one I'm worried about." True, someone stronger than Shinobu had to be terrifying by all rights.

Speaking of the girl, she couldn't pull her eyes away from her master, "Master, you shouldn't have bothered with them. I…" she wanted to tell him that as his pupil, it was her duty to defend his honor, fight the battles he shouldn't bother with, and repay her kindness after he forgave her life.

But he just turned to her, put his hand on her shoulder, and spoke tiredly, "You want to train with me, right?" he asked, giving her half a smirk, "I can't allow you to fight stupid fights. But if you still want to face that guy, be my guest. However, Howard and everyone else he sends at me is my business, otherwise I can't really claim to be stronger than him."

"Master… I…" she closed her eyes and nodded, "I understand, I will respect your wishes."

Naruto blinked and, even if he'd die before admitting it, blushed, "Hey, no need to be like that… let's just eat some breakfast before facing Geese."

She nodded, and held his arm in between hers, making Naruto feel that soft yet wonderful feel of her company, and her glorious rack.

XXXXXX

"He said no?"

"Didn't even bat an eye, the little bastard."

"Heh… This should be fun, then."

Atop the large building Geese owned was a massive Japanese dojo. It had statues of fierce deities and other beings of Japanese lore meant to symbolize power. Pillars supported the ceiling with tiles that would fit a Japanese temple, and the wooden floor was recently polished. And in the middle of this room was Geese, practicing his katas. Samurai armors and two men witnessed the man's ferocious and precise moves.

His subordinates, one bald man with glasses and a beard and the other long haired with an identical pair of shades, stood by the side telling him of Billy's failure in convincing Naruto. It all made Geese grin at the idea of battling the boy. The man was currently clad in a white karate gi, a pair of orange hakama pants, and a black karate belt. He still had his gold wristwatch on, wearing it as he casually lifted his right hand, shooting another wave of his white fire at a wooden dummy.

Splinters and small chunks of wood smaller than a fist rained down the floor, "Still not strong enough…" Geese mumbled before running a thumb on his chest. There was a horizontal scar across his pectorals, "So long as this scar remains here, I won't stop getting stronger." The gangsters felt true fear and dread at such an idea, to see this man getting stronger was as terrifying as it was awe inducing. "Nine stand above me, and yet someone comes willing to defeat me… This should be a good match."

Needless to say, he looked forward to it.

XXXXXX

In another part of the world, several warriors got wind of Geese having a new challenger.

It was like a dream tournament, or a nightmare.

**XXXXXX**

**And that's my rap!**

**I hope you enjoyed the buildup of this chapter, because the next one is the big match between Southtown's King and the foxy swordsman, along some interesting meetings.**

**Now, I bet what you're thinking is "But The Swordslinger, why did you pick Geese Howard when there's so many cool anime villains/heroes Naruto could've fought?", to which I will reply with two things: one, this is my fic so it is my choice and I enjoy Geese as a villain from the Fatal Fury OVA in which you really wanted Terry to punch him in the face, and second, Mai Shiranui.**

**If you don't know who Mai Shiranui is, then kick yourself in the ass for you have failed to see one of gaming's most beautiful fighting babes.**

**As for the use of Danzo, well... I have a few plans.**

**And a bonus:**

UAA Bios:

-**Naruto Uzumaki** – New challenger

Age: 17

Likes: Winning, fighting, pretty and strong girls

Dislikes: His father's story, losing, arrogant people, and biased morons

Favorite food: Ichiraku's miso ramen

Hobbies: Anything involving his moped

Fighting Style: Self-taught kenjutsu, ninjutsu, and kitsune powers

Origin: NARUTO - manga

-**Shinobu Jacobs** – Former Rank 11

Age: 18

Likes: Her father, her sword, and truly strong men

Dislikes: Her father's killer, arrogant women, and losing

Favorite food: Undetermined, but seems to be taking a liking to ramen lately

Hobbies: Training and magical girl anime

Fighting Style: Sword techniques form the Jacobs school

Origin: No More Heroes - videogame

-**Geese Howard** – Rank 10

Age: 42

Likes: Himself

Dislikes: People who stop his ambitions

Favorite food: Steak

Hobbies: Undetermined, but he's good at billiards

Fighting Style: Aikijutsu, Kobujutsu and chi techniques from the Hakkyokuseiken school

Origin: Fatal Fury – fighting game

**Swordslinger out!**


End file.
